Bluegrass Martial Arts

Shien is often paired with Djem So, and considered a
variation on the former. The primary reason for this confusion is Shien, like
Djem So, also uses the reverse grip.

Shien is a Lightsaber combat form developed later,
being born in the heart of the Empire's rise and during the Clone Wars.

Shien means to parry.

The Shien is a defensive move, also used in Makashi,
specifically a circular parry that moves the opponent's blade off line of the target. Also like Makashi there is a continued contact with the opponent's blade. The Maka, Saber Bind, is the preferred position.

The philosophy is that it takes longer to process an
attack with the eye. The speed at which attacks execute exceed speeds the eye can
process. The proverb of Shien is "your eyes can deceive
you, don't trust them." Instead of attempting to follow an opponents
movements technique by technique, and then respond to their attacks, it is
faster to feel the attack as it begins.

The Maka blade tie is deliberate,
acting as a bridge to feel the opponents pressure and intent through out the
battle. Unlike Makashi the intent of Shien is not to Shiak
(thrust), but rather to Sun Djem, to disarm.

Sun is always in reference to the primary weapon arm,
or the right hand side. Even if the student is left handed, all Lightsaber
schools teach right hand. It is the student's task to adjust if they are left
handed to learn to be ambidextrous.

Djem is to destroy, or in the context of Sun Djem, to
disarm. This can be done three ways, the weapon can be literally destroyed by
cutting through the handle, the opponent can be disarmed by amputating the
weapon arm above the wrist (as in the case of both Anakin and Luke Skywalker),
but the best masters of Shien could use the circular sword tie, Maka-Shien, to
strip the sword free of the opponents hands, and toss it out of reach without
doing damage to the handle or the opponent.

In Makashi this circle is smaller and only used to redirect and unbalance the opponent to open them for a Shiak counter attack. In the form Shien the circle can be any size and the application is to create a point of contact with the opponents blade and keep the contact as unbroken as possible.

Shien, like Makashi, is transmitted by way of the Sequence, a short series of movements meant to be used in real time dueling to disarm or dispatch an opponent, therefor the study of Shien also demands dueling, or sparring among its students more than forms that do not use the Sequence patterns. Shien as a form separate from Djem So is a latter development and as such does not have the same long standing tradition of creating superior duelists, but this is only true statistically because of the long history Makashi has by comparison. Makashi was unchallenged for so long as the "dueling form", but Shien was also created to combat Makashi during the Galatic War years.

Shien is also known as the Compassion Form or Way of the Varactyl, a large colorful lizard that is highly obedient and intelligent. The Varactyl was a mounted companion often ridden through areas difficult for vehicles to reach.

Shien is built from Soresu and it is transmitted in a similar way. Where Soresu avoids crossing saber blades and beats the opponent with timing and perfect distance, Shien takes the Soresu form and considers the goal of perfect timing and distance unrealistic in a combat situation.

The Sequence of Shien occurs from the Shii or posture of Soresu.

Djem So Sai Sequence
Sai over attack just after Trill attack
Cha Shiak

Blinding Dust Sequence
Before Trill can attack, throw or kick dust into his eyes, then attack

Shiim Djem Sequence
When surrounded by multiple opponents, Shiim toward the group's leader, then quickly turn to attack a weaker opponent to break the circle and escape

Zerek Sequence
If injured, as a last resort throw sword at Trill, then escape

Phase I: Dueling One on One

Phase II: Dueling Two on One, Multiple Opponents

Phase III: Dueling Blindfolded

In the battle with general Grievous Obi Wan uses the
Shien and Sun Djem to disarm the four-armed monster that had killed so many
Jedi before. Anakin learns Shien as well, from Obi Wan, and uses
it to beat Count Dooku in their final duel. As Darth Vader, he uses the Sun Djem to remove Luke's
hand on Bespin

Obi Wan was pivotal in the design of Shien, to both honor the memory of his fallen teacher Qui Gon, and to better prepare future Jedi to face the challenges of growing war. Facing the threat of a Master of Makashi, Count Dooku, a formidable duelist, Shien was designed to use the same emphasis on dueling to better prepare the next generation of Jedi.